


Something to Pay Attention to

by AlexTheShipper



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Stiles Stilinski Has ADHD, Stiles Stilinski Saves The Day, The Hale Family, Young Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22247995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexTheShipper/pseuds/AlexTheShipper
Summary: Stiles is just a kid, but he knows there are no wolves in California. So, why are there howls every month on the full moon? And why does Cora Hale tense up when he mentions werewolves? And why is Derek Hale getting coffee with that weird teacher lady?
Comments: 24
Kudos: 466





	Something to Pay Attention to

It started, with a howl. A howl that shouldn’t exist, because there are no wolves in California, not anywhere near Beacon Hill’s anyways. Stiles knows, he’s been researching the reintegration programs like his life depends on it. Yet somehow, there’s a howl. He decides to mark it down on his calendar before he goes to sleep.

It’s a wolf themed calendar, because Scott is the best and buys him things like this when he gets hyper focused. It tracks the phases of the moon, and all the pictures are of wolves running around in the forest. He doesn’t notice that night, but it’s a full moon.

He does notice nearly a month later when he hears the howls again. This time more than one. They seem to echo through the night. He marks it on the calendar and sits down to research.

It isn’t long before he winds up on a website about werewolves, that seems oddly factual. It never seems to acknowledge that werewolves are a legend and instead acts as if they’re real claiming certain myths, like silver bullets, to be false. The website makes a lot of wild claims, and Stiles decides to categorize them before continuing his research. It makes claims about werewolf hierarchy, physiology, and how to kill them.

He winds up jumping from site to site searching for more information presented like it’s true. His notes get color coded for repeated information until eventually he has a list of information. Some of the websites he visits seem convinced werewolves are evil, but if a werewolf is the thing, person? Howling in the woods then there’s no sign they’d ever hurt anyone. 

Of course, it probably isn’t a werewolf. If it was though, who would it be?

Stiles starts thinking about the town’s residents. A werewolf, or family, pack, of werewolves would most likely live out in the woods. That narrows down his list significantly, and he starts looking at the individuals he knows. The Hale family has a weirdly good sports history, and live in the middle of nowhere, the Johnson’s live out in the woods, and homeschool all their kids. The Stuarts live on the edge of town, and keep mostly to themselves. If anyone in town was a werewolf it would probably be one of those three families.

* * *

“Hey Scott, what do you think about werewolves?” Stiles asks, trying not to stare at Cora Hale sitting across the room. She doesn’t look over at him, doesn’t jump from shock, but she does tense.

“I dunno, horror movie monster, killed by silver bullets.” Scott shrugs, barely glancing up from his backpack. “Why?”

“I heard a wolf last week, on the full moon.” Stiles explains. “But there aren’t supposed to be wolves in California.” Scott laughs at him, which is fair.

“And your immediate assumption is werewolf?” Scott snorts, and then wheezes slightly. “Dude, it’s probably a coyote.” Stiles tilts his head in acknowledgement.

“Yeah, yeah probably. Stop laughing and breathe you asshole.” He shoves his friend, but he can’t help but see the way Cora relaxes slightly when he says it.

* * *

When he see's Derek out he's about to mention werewolves to Scott again to test his theory a second time, but Derek isn't alone. He's laughing at whatever that blonde woman is saying. 

"Who's that?" He asks Scott instead, and Scott glances up from trying to balance on the edge of the curb. 

"Who?" Scott asks, looking around. 

"That woman in there with Derek. I thought she was a teacher, I wonder what he's doing with her." Stiles remarks, and Derek shoots a glare his way, which is another point in the Hale's are werewolves column. Or it might be a point in the Stiles doesn't know how to keep his voice down column. 

"Stiles shush." Scott whispers, louder than Stiles was talking. 

"Shut up!" Stiles pushes Scott, and Scott pushes him back and the next thing Stiles knows Melissa is yelling at them to get off the floor and behave. 

* * *

He should have dropped it then, but his brain never did know how to stop focusing on something. So instead three weeks later, which is a long time and shows a lot of self control on his part if you ask Stiles, he finds himself at the Hales doorstep.

“What am I doing? What am I doing? This is how you get eaten Stiles.” He knocks on the door, shaking slightly from anxiety. It opens almost immediately, and he nearly jumps out of skin when a very attractive older man smiles at him.

“Hello, what can I do for you?” He asks, and that’s a fair question. Stiles blinks, unsure how to just ask someone if they’re a werewolf.

“Um.” He blinks a couple of times. “Well.” The words don’t come, and he looks down at his feet considering.

“Would you like to come inside?” The man asks, and Stiles can’t do that, more then one website mentioned how important it was that there aren’t strange smells in a wolf’s den. He can’t enter their den, he’d mess it up.

“No, no, I don’t need to. I just, can you just tell me I’m crazy so I can go home and move on with my life?” He blurts, and the man in front of him raises an eyebrow.

“Why would you be crazy?” He asks, and Stiles takes a deep breath in and then just let’s himself speak.

“Well, first of all I just showed up at your house in the middle of the afternoon and didn’t introduce myself or ask your name, which is very rude of me, I’m Stiles by the way.” He blurts, foot tapping against the porch.

“Peter.” The man, Peter answers.

“Hi Peter, anyways. There’s also the fact that I haven’t slept in like three days because I’ve been researching werewolves since I heard a wolf howl like a month ago.” He notices the way Peter goes tense, and then intentionally casual. “And, and, and somehow my crazy brain convinced me that your whole family is werewolves, but that’s crazy right? Tell me I’m crazy.” He’s half pleading.

“You should come inside.” Peter says instead, and that’s not a good sign.

“Please don’t hurt me.” He whispers, but he doesn’t try to run. Werewolves are supposed to be incredibly strong and fast, and Stiles isn’t exactly in shape. A woman appears behind Peter in an instant, a kind smile on her face.

“We aren’t going to hurt you Stiles, will you please come in?” She pulls Peter out of the doorway, giving him a lot of space. It isn’t until he really looks at them that he see’s fear on both of their faces.

“You’re scared.” He says, trying to figure out why, even as he steps into the house. “I’m not going to hurt you either. I don’t think I could. I didn’t bring anything with me that could, I don’t even know how to get wolfsbane, or anything like that.” He blurts, and it’s only a little bit of a lie, because he did find a supplier.

“What?” There’s suddenly a guy snarling in his face, showing a little bit of fang.

“Oh my god, you’re actually werewolves.” Stiles whispers, and then he’s sitting on the floor in the Hales front entryway, not entirely sure how he got there. “You’re, you’re, my dad is going to be devastated.” Stiles can already picture it, his dad crying over his son mysteriously killed by a mountain lion or some shit. He’d drink himself to death. Stiles can’t leave him like this, he can’t leave his dad all alone. He can’t breathe though, they’re going to kill him, and he can’t even breathe.

“Derek.” The woman snaps, and the guy looming over him disappears. Suddenly she’s there, sitting in front of him. “Stiles, I need you to take a deep breath.” Her voice is calming, and it’s strange, the way she’s soothing him. “We want to talk to you, but we aren’t going to hurt you.” She promises, someone behind him growls, and when he looks up the woman is glaring over his head with red eyes.

“You’re the alpha.” He mutters, head tilted to the side. “You really aren’t going to hurt me? I just, it would kill my dad if I died, I’m all he has left.” He admits, fidgeting with the sleeve of his shirt.

“It’s admirable, the way you care about your father.” She informs him. “We won’t hurt you.” Derek growls, earning a sharp glare from his mom. He storms out of the room. Stiles breathes, gathers himself together, and climbs to his feet.

“Thank you, Alpha Hale, I really should be getting home, my dad he’ll worry about me if I’m not back soon.” Stiles lies, glancing back towards the drive way. His dad is working the night shift tonight, but he really doesn’t want to push his luck.

“Lie.” Peter comments, with a smirk. Stiles might hate him.

“I promise you can leave soon Stiles, we just wanted to make sure you understand how important it is that no one find out about us.” Talia says, shooting a look Peter’s way.

“Of course, I won’t tell anyone.” He says, and it’s then that he realizes that she really doesn’t have any plans to hurt him. “Can I ask some questions?”

“How about we go back and forth.” Peter says, more a statement then a question.

“Oh, me first. Is everyone in your family werewolves?” The internet hadn’t always agreed.

“No, how did you figure it out?” Peter asks, and Talia stands to the side keeping a watchful eye on the two of them.

“Internet. So, if not everyone is a werewolf what are the odds of being a human born to two werewolves? Or a werewolf, born to a human and a were wolf?” Stiles asks, and Peter raises an eyebrow.

“Is that really what you want to ask?” Peter deadpans. “I think you’re smart enough to understand genetics.” Stiles rolls his eyes.

“You don’t know the answer then. Is it true only an alpha can turn?” Stiles asks, and Peter nods.

“How did you know it was us specifically?” Peter asks, and Stiles doesn’t want to get Cora in trouble, but he can’t lie.

“I thought it was one of a few families, and was testing my theory by questioning Scott about his thoughts on werewolves in the same room as Cora. She got tense.” He explains. Peter nods as if that makes sense.

“We’ll have to work on that.” Peter remarks. “Why did you consider us?”

“Not your turn asshole.” Stiles scolds, and Talia looks like she might fall over at the sound of a curse word coming out of his mouth. “But you guys live in the middle of nowhere. Why is Derek dating a woman twice his age and who’s part of a notorious hunting family?” Stiles asks, and everyone goes completely silent.

“Derek’s what?” Talia asks, voice half growl.

“Dating Kate Argent, she’s mean. I don’t like her.” Stiles informs them, completely serious, and it seems like he’s barely blinked before he’s in a car with Peter while Talia talks with Derek.

“Any more questions?” Stiles asks Peter, kicking his feet idly. Peter growls softly.

“No, a statement instead. If my family get’s hurt as a result of your knowledge, I will personally make sure you are never in a position to hurt them again is that clear?” Peter says, and Stiles studies the way Peter grips the steering wheel, and clenches his jaw.

“Thank you for not threatening my father.” He says, after a moment. “I understand how important your family is, I would never do anything to jeopardize them.” His heart aches. “I do have one more question.”

“Ask it.” Peter says, with a respect that wasn’t there before.

“Would the bite have saved my mom when she got sick?” He asks, and he can’t look at Peter.

“Maybe, but it could have killed her as well.” Peter answers, and Stiles mourns the chance he never had. It’s too late now.

“Thank you, and thank you for driving me home.” He goes to get out of the car.

“You’re a good kid Stiles, stay safe.”


End file.
